Chemistry Lab
by mmouse15
Summary: Wheeljack and Starscream have a lot in common. Rating increased for second chapter.
1. Experiments In Chemistry

Title: Experiments in Chemistry

Universe: G1

Characters: Wheeljack, Starscream

Content: angst

Wordcount: ~1770 words

Prompt: 9. You think because you understand 'one' you must also understand 'two', because one and one make two. But you must also understand 'and'.

Notes: This is for tf_rare_pairing's Rumi challenge, March, 2012.

* * *

"What are you doing?" The voice slid through the mech's processor easily.

Wheeljack looked up and smiled. "Well, I was going to mix…"

"Yes, I'm sure you were. You are aware that one is sulfuric acid, and you were going to add the dihydrogen monoxide to it, right?" Starscream, a mech a couple years ahead of Wheeljack, entered the lab fully. Wheeljack had been told about the acerbic older student, warned, really, to stay away from him.

Wheeljack looked back down at the workbench and said, "Yes?"

"No. You always add the acid to the dihydrogen monoxide." Starscream moved next to Wheeljack and put the beaker of water down on the table top, then deftly removed the test tube of acid from the clamp and handed it to Wheeljack. "Smaller volume to larger volume, 'Jack."

Wheeljack shrugged. "Does it really make a difference?"

Starscream stared at him momentarily, then took the test tube, put it back in the clamp, and drug Wheeljack away from the lab table, pushing him into a seat.

"Does it make a difference? Yes, Wheeljack, it does. Tell me, which of the two is denser?"

Wheeljack answered, "The acid."

Starscream nodded and continued, "So, if you add the less dense substance to the one of greater density, where does the chemical reaction occur?"

"Uh, on top of the denser one…oh." Wheeljack appeared to have finally gotten Starscream's point.

"Exactly, the reaction occurs on top. It's an exothermic reaction, 'Jack. It will blow up in your face. Very bad for you." Starscream said.

Wheeljack slumped in the seat. "This would be so much easier if we were allowed to keep the preprogrammed modules active during laboratory sessions."

Starscream laughed. "They want you to actually learn this stuff, and it's been shown that mechs relying upon the programs don't learn the material well enough to save themselves from damage. Which is why you're starting with basic chemistry this semester, Wheeljack, so you learn proper lab procedures and experimentation techniques."

Wheeljack huffed out air, then clambered to his feet and headed back over to the lab table to finish his experiment. "Gotcha, Starscream. Thanks for the help." Starscream's explanation had made more sense than anything his instructor had said.

"You're welcome, Wheeljack." Starscream watched for a little while as Wheeljack finished the experiment and wrote his lab report. He pulled his own work out of subspace and worked on it until Wheeljack was finished.

Stretching his wings, Starscream asked, "Would you like to get some energon with me?"

Wheeljack, having been absorbed in his work, was startled by the other mech's question. "Oh! You're still here. Uh, yes?"

Starscream laughed, pleasant and low. "You are a delight. Let's go, then."

Wheeljack put away the last of the clean silica containers and moved over to Starscream, sliding before his wings and preceding him out of the lab.

That was the start. Wheeljack had noticed Starscream, of course, but was surprised by the tacit offer of friendship from the mech. Starscream, in his turn, seemed to enjoy Wheeljack's unconventional patterns of thought. Wheeljack exceled at bursts of inspiration that seemingly vaulted him over most of the logical steps and landed him at the right answer with absolutely no idea how he'd gotten there. Under Starscream's tutelage, Wheeljack learned how to lay out some of his thoughts, enough to explain how he'd gotten to his endpoint. Wheeljack put himself in the biology track so he could take courses that delighted Starscream. He did as well as he did because they spent a lot of time together and Starscream loved to talk about his passion. Wheeljack simply paid attention to Starscream and learned more than enough to do well in his classes. He entertained fond hopes of doing well enough to partner his friend. The two years between them at university didn't seem a barrier until…

"What do you mean, you need to go off-planet?" Wheeljack craned around, peering up at Starscream. They were sprawled on Wheeljack's berth in the dormitory. Starscream had his back against the wall and Wheeljack was using Starscream's leg as a pillow while he read through his texts in preparation for a test the following cycle.

"I mean, I got paired up with another xenobiologist, and now we have to go out and do a semester of field camp where we'll be taught proper procedures for all sorts of things. We'll be learning from the best, the ones who've gone out there and come back. It's a great opportunity for me, 'Jack. I thought you'd be excited for me." Starscream told him, looking down at him.

"Well, I am excited for you, but I'm also going to miss you. I'm just starting xenobiology, and I was hoping you'd be able to help me." Wheeljack told him, sitting up and turning so he was facing Starscream.

Starscream looked at him quizzically. "Is that the only reason, so you can pick my processor for your class?"

Wheeljack looked offended, "No, of course not! You're my friend, and I enjoy spending time with you."

Starscream just looked at him until Wheeljack squirmed before giving his own crooked grin in return. "Of course. Well, I'm sorry I'll miss out on you and your xenobiology course, but I'm going to do this."

Wheeljack nodded, "Yes, I know you will. Good luck, Starscream."

"Thank you, Wheeljack."

After Starscream left, Wheeljack couldn't concentrate on his texts and flung them aside before flopping on his berth. He was happy to have Starscream's friendship and to spend time with the brilliant mech, but he knew that he was nothing special and that Starscream was destined for great things. Wheeljack could never match him, mentally or socially. He was doomed to watch from afar and wish the best for his friend. Discontent, Wheeljack slid into an uneasy recharge.

Getting up the next morning, he found his processor fragmented and scattered, unable to alight on one thought and carry it to completion. He dropped his datapads when he reached for his stylus, forgetting that he had the pads in his arms. Sighing, he dropped down and began picking everything up from the floor. A chime at his door had him setting the pads aside and getting up to answer it, since his roommate had already left. He touched the controls and opened the door.

Starscream pushed in as if he belonged there. Wheeljack fell back before his advance. Starscream was smiling, the full, brilliant smile that rarely came out. Starscream clasped Wheeljack's shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

"'Jack! Be happy for me!"

Wheeljack returned the hug, always happy to be this close to Starscream. "Of course I am! What is it this time?"

Starscream pulled back slightly, so he could see down into Wheeljack's optics. "I'm to be paired with Skyfire!"

Wheeljack's pump stuttered for a moment before he ruthlessly overrode the feeling. "That's wonderful news! Congratulations! You'll make a great team."

Starscream danced away from him, laughing. Wheeljack simply watched, sending the datastream from his optics directly to a special partition in his processor for rewatching later.

"I've got so much to do – we're leaving in two cycles – but I wanted to share the good news with my best friend. Oh, and good luck on your test today. Oh, and here's a comm frequency for you," Starscream handed him a data chip and continued, "I won't be able to answer any comms you send me until we get back, but I'll be able to read the transcripts, so I hope you'll let me know how you're doing. Don't get too personal, though, because others get the message and transcribe it for me and I'll get everything all at once at the end, when we're coming back to Cybertron. They want us to concentrate on what we're doing and not get distracted by outside influences, and I hope you'll tell me what's going on in your life, and did I forget anything?"

"I don't think so," Wheeljack answered, used to Starscream's rapid-fire method of communication, "and thank you, I'll do well. You need to get everything together and get going, Starscream."

Starscream stopped and looked at Wheeljack. "You do understand, don't you, that this is the opportunity of a lifetime for me?"

Wheeljack nodded. "Yes, I do, Starscream, and I wish you the very best of luck."

"Wheeljack…" Starscream began.

Wheeljack held up a hand, halting the flow of Starscream's words. "If you come back and still feel that way, then we'll talk. Right now, focus on what you're doing."

Starscream nodded jerkily and rushed out, leaving Wheeljack standing, forlorn, in the middle of his room. He felt like he'd just let something precious slip through his fingers, but how could he stand in the path Starscream had set for himself and halt the brilliance that was his friend? It would be wrong and it would spoil the respect they had for each other.

Venting out the air from his systems, Wheeljack drew in fresh and chased out the old. He was never cut out for xenobiology; it was Starscream's forte, not his. Facing that fact solidly instead of dreaming of what might have been, Wheeljack accepted that he was created more to invent, his flashes of brilliance and intuitive leaps allowing him to see situations from a completely different perspective. Gathering his datapads, he headed out of his room. As he did so, he tapped into the university's systems, dropping all his biology and organic chemistry classes for the next semester and instead, enrolling in engineering and mathematics courses instead. He attended his test and to his surprise, completed it with the highest marks in the class. His instructor was also surprised and counseled him to stay in the biology track.

Nevertheless, he had removed himself from that path and set himself on a new course. He did as his friend had asked and sent Starscream a weekly communique. He chose to attend summer courses and catch up on the engineering track, which also allowed him to not fret over Starscream. Starscream was already off-planet, needing an orn or more to reach the planet where his field camp was to be held. Then he'd have an entire semester on that planet before coming back to Cybertron. Wheeljack loaded up on courses and kept himself too busy to brood over Starscream.

And it was to nobot's surprise, least of all Wheeljack's, when Starscream came back from field camp thrusters over wings in love with Skyfire, who returned his affections. Wheeljack smiled, congratulated them, and turned his face to the future.

Because sometimes, one and one did not make two.

_Finis_


	2. Covalent Bonds

Title: Covalent Bonds

Universe: G1

Characters: Wheeljack, Starscream, ensemble

Content: Snark and sex of the tactile/plug-and-play/sticky varieties.

Wordcount: ~7540 words

Notes: This is a continuation of the story Experiments in Chemistry but was prompted by a request on the kink meme. And I'm exhausted. This was a lot to write in three busy days.

* * *

Starscream hiked his wings higher, in a show of bravado most builds would never understand, but Prowl gave him a slight sideways glance and a small nod.

The war was over, and now the former Autobot faction and the former Decepticon faction were doing their best to integrate with each other. Starscream, as the de facto leader of the Decepticons after Megatron's enormous sacrifice to stop Unicron, was setting an example for his faction, and the Autobot scientists and engineers were stepping up to do their part. They were gathered in the entry of the laboratory complex built next to Metroplex, who was the central portion of Autobot City on Earth. However, the city-former had flat-out refused to have an explosive unit as part of his body and Optimus Prime had agreed, so the laboratories were built as extensions of the city, with firm blast walls and a buffering dead space between them and Metroplex. Thus the long walk that screwed Starscream's anxiety higher and made Prowl twitchy at how deeply into the city Starscream had to be escorted.

They finally reached the proper door, and Prowl sent a request to the door, which slid open in response. Prowl and Starscream stepped through.

The entire contingent of scientists and engineers was lined up as if for an inspection, which, in a way, this was. Perceptor was rigidly at attention at one end, with Grapple, Huffer, Erector, and Swerve between him and Skyfire. Prowl introduced everyone to Starscream.

The first words out of Strarscream's mouth were, "Where's Wheeljack?"

Skyfire laughed and said, "We couldn't pry him away. Follow me."

Starscream fell neatly behind Skyfire and followed him into the laboratories. They were arranged in a circular pattern, with the central area as the hub leading to everything else. The walls were clear so all the labs could be observed. Wheeljack was in one, hunched over the lab table and talking to himself, if his vocal indicators were accurate. Starscream felt a fleeting grin cross his face; it was just like when they were at the academy together.

Skyfire led him to the door of Wheeljack's lab and touched the pad. The door slid open and Skyfire entered, with Starscream on his heels.

"…and I don't understand why it's not working." Wheeljack was saying.

Starscream looked around Skyfire's wings to see what was going on.

"'Jack, are you running the water through the de-ionizer first, or just using it straight?" Starscream asked.

"Oh, just straight. Why?" Wheeljack answered, not looking up.

"Because if you don't de-ionize it, the trace materials in the water tend to react with your other chemicals, and so you filter and de-ionize to remove those uncertainties." Starscream told him.

"Oh." Wheeljack said, moving around the table and pulling two units from under a bench along one wall. "I always forget that."

"I'm sure you do," Starscream said, coming around and grabbing one of the unit from Wheeljack and moving over to the end of the table where the tube of water was coming down from the ceiling. He began unhooking it from the tap, while Wheeljack went over to the wall and turned the water off. Starscream held the hose over the floor drain until there was no more water coming through, then hooked up the filter and the de-ionzing units in order before attaching the hose again. Wheeljack turned on the water again and came around.

"You'll have to dispose of this experiment and start afresh, 'Jack." Starscream said.

"Right, right, let me do that," Wheeljack said, pulling various beakers and test tubes out of their stands. He put them on a cart for later disposal and collected fresh vessels from a supply cabinet near the door. He didn't seem to notice that everyone had crowded in behind Skyfire and were watching him and Starscream in astonishment.

Starscream had followed Wheeljack to the supply cabinet and pulled a very large beaker down, which he placed at the end of the complex of tubes and lines. He then turned on the water and flushed the entire system, collecting the fluid in the large beaker. Once everything ran clear, he turned the water off and removed the beaker, putting it with the other chemicals for disposal.

Wheeljack then replaced all his vessels in the line and began measuring chemicals and resetting the experiment. Once done, he turned on the water and the burner, letting the chemicals mix with water and begin to flow through to his discharge beaker, where he could measure the reaction. He and Starscream peered into the beaker, waiting for the first drops to drip into the container.

Once they did, Wheeljack lowered a measurement probe into the small amount of liquid and read the results on his datapad.

"Perfect! That's exactly what I thought it should be," Wheeljack proclaimed, "now I can move on."

"With filtered and de-ionized water." Starscream added.

"Yes, yes, of course. Thank you for reminding me. We'll have to move over to the big lab…what?" Wheeljack had come to a halt because Starscream had casually reached out and grabbed his doors.

"You need to run the experiment more than once, 'Jack." Starscream said. "Minimum of…" he looked toward Perceptor.

"We'd prefer one hundred times, but usually, all we can get out of 'Jack is twenty or so."

"Fifty times!" proclaimed Starscream "and no less. Get back here."

"Starscream…" Wheeljack wheedled.

"No. You know the rules. You've gotten away with it because it was a time of war, but you are more than capable of doing precise and good science, 'Jack, and you will get back to that. No more of this sloppy, half-afted, slapdash nonsense that half the time seems to explode."

"Yes, Starscream," Wheeljack folded, coming back to the lab table and pulling out the datapad again, "but the explosions were sometimes a good thing."

"Explosions are only good if you plan and control them. Sometimes, you did as much damage to your side as to ours." Starscream sniffed.

Wheeljack tilted his head and his indicators lit up in amusement. "No more sides now, Starscream. Want to help me with this?"

"Shoo," Starscream said, turning and flapping his hands at the gawping crowd, "we have work to do."

"Of…of course. Call us if you need anything." Perceptor said.

By the time they were all outside the lab, Starscream and Wheeljack were deep in discussion.

"Well," Perceptor said helplessly, "I guess Starscream is fitting in?"

Skyfire chuckled, "Honestly, he and Wheeljack were friends back at the Academy, and the few times I saw them together, this was how they were, absorbed in the science. It seemed to me that they didn't need to explain to each other what they were doing, they worked together so well it all seemed to flow. It was difficult, working with Starscream at first, because he expected that I would be able to do the same thing and I simply couldn't. It took us awhile to get that smooth flow."

"Oh," Perceptor said, "and you were going to work with Starscream on that solar collector idea." He moved as if to go back to the lab.

Skyfire waved him off. "Please believe me, I don't actually need the help, I offered it because I didn't think anyone else would work with Starscream, and it's important that this cooperative effort work, both for us and for the Decepticons. We all have to work together to rebuild Cybertron and our society, and starting out by excluding Starscream would be a bad start to the whole thing. However, if he wants to work with Wheeljack, that's no paint off my plating."

Perceptor nodded, "Alright, thank you, Skyfire. Everyone, back to your labs, please. I need to recalculate the dichotomy between the theoretical and the experimental results and tabulate them for inclusion in my presentation to the Prime." He moved off, talking to himself.

Skyfire, with one last look at the lab holding Wheeljack and Starscream, followed suit.

* * *

Without a hiccup, Starscream integrated himself into the scientific community with ease. For many of the mechs, it felt as it had before the war, before build types were considered important, before factions, before the philosophical split that tore their society apart. In the laboratories, their society was as egalitarian as it had been before the war, and ideas were valued more than the mech that originated them. Ideas became the kernel of a new beginning, where thoughts built upon thoughts, and everyone contributed.

"It's a good idea, Starscream, but it isn't practical. Here, we are constrained by the materials at hand, which in this case is a granite, but it can't bear the weight you're talking about." Grapple said.

"Argh! If only we were on Cybertron, the materials wouldn't be a problem," Starscream grumbled.

"Actually ,they would be. A lot of Cybertron's infrastructure was wrecked over the course of the war, and since the planet was drained of its resources, it couldn't heal itself. This is why re-energizing Cybertron is more important than anything else we can do. The idea is sound, Starscream, you just need to work around the limitations." Wheeljack said. He was leaning against a wall, having just finished a long session with no recharge, but when ideas were being tossed around, Wheeljack was usually in the thick of it, batting ideas back and forth with the rest of them.

"Wheeljack is correct, as usual. The structural foundation can be reworked or moved to a more optimal location to allow the forward momentum to continue." Perceptor said.

"Fine!" Starscream growled, throwing his hands in the air, "Fine! You tell me where I can have this built. That's your job," he pointed at Grapple, "while 'Jack and I continue to work with the model. I think it can be more efficient."

"About 23% more, actually," Wheeljack threw out.

"Seven," Starscream snapped, glaring over at Wheeljack.

"Nope," Wheeljack snapped right back, "let me show you."

"Fine," Starscream stomped away to the lab that, by default, had become his and Wheeljack's.

Wheeljack pushed himself away from the wall and followed Starscream, snagging the cube of energon Hoist handed him on the way by.

"Well, chaps, if that's all, I need to get to my own duty shift. I'll be by later, Grapple, to look over what you've come up with for Starscream's collector."

"Certainly, Hoist, that would be acceptable." Grapple was busy writing calculations on the margins of Starscream's plan. Very used to his partner's absorption in projects, Hoist merely waved at the rest of the team and left.

Huffer looked over at Skyfire and asked, "Doesn't this put a kink in your plans?"

"What plans?" Skyfire asked.

"I thought you and Starscream were going to head out and look over the area he'd chosen."

"Oh," Skyfire said, "we were, but it's alright. This is more important."

Huffer looked at him oddly, "But…I thought…you and Starscream…"

"No," Skyfire answered gently. "We were never that close."

"But…!" Huffer looked at him.

Skyfire looked around. Everyone was listening and trying to appear that they weren't.

"Look," Skyfire began, "when we did our field camp, we had to work really hard at getting along, and Starscream's the kind of mech that throws himself whole-spark into whatever he's doing. So, yes, we were very close when we graduated and left on our exploratory mission. But by the time we reached this planet, we'd settled into close friendship, but nothing romantic."

"It was presumptuous of us to assume. My apologies, Skyfire." Perceptor murmured.

Skyfire wave the apology off, "I understand. Given my behavior after I came out of the ice, it's an understandable assumption to make, but Starscream and I were never lovers." Skyfire replied gently.

As a mech, everyone turned to look toward the lab where Starscream and Wheeljack were bent over a datapad together. Skyfire was nodding.

"Yes, I believe they had something, but it never went too far. Starscream, for all his brazen behaviors, was actually rather reticent about physical intimacy, and as far as I can recall, he and Wheeljack were never an item when they were at the Academy. They were friends, yes, but Wheeljack was a couple of years behind Starscream and I just don't think it went anywhere. It might have, but my understanding was that Starscream was ostracized when he came back without me."

"Yes, that is true." Perceptor replied.

"In fact, he dropped out of sight less than a stellar cycle after he got back, and the next time we were aware of him, he was associated with Megatron." Grapple said quietly.

Skyfire nodded. "It will be interesting to see what happens. Wheeljack, I think, had a pretty major crush on Starscream but didn't think himself worthy. Starscream…I don't know what he was thinking."

"Well, our dissection of their relationship is based upon supposition and wishful thoughts, and our time could be better utilized by turning our attention to the projects and experiments we should be occupying ourselves with at the present time." Perceptor said primly.

"In other words, back to work!" Erector caroled out, heading off to his lab. Laughing, everyone followed his example.

In the meantime, Wheeljack and Starscream were absorbed in what they were doing. Wheeljack had shown Starscream that by streamlining the collection bins, he was able to get an additional 22% efficiency out of the collector. They continued to tinker, eking out tiny increments of efficiency, bouncing ideas off each other, until Wheeljack's head drooped and he startled both himself and Starscream with the jerk of his head.

"You are dropping into recharge. Off to berth with you," Starscream said, once he'd settled his pump and made sure Wheeljack was alright.

"I'm alright, we're making progress," Wheeljack argued.

Starscream didn't even respond with a comment, instead getting off the stool he'd commandeered and grabbing Wheeljack's shoulder and pulling. Grumbling, Wheeljack obeyed and climbed down from his own stool.

The laboratory complex was still and dark, all the other engineers and scientists were off-duty and recharging. They were quite alone in here. Wheeljack followed Starscream out to the hallway, but resisted when Starscream began pulling him toward Metroplex.

"I'm just down this hall," Wheeljack said.

Starscream looked affronted, "Why? Don't they trust you?"

"Absolutely. They trust that I can blow myself up in my recharge." Wheeljack answered cheerfully.

"You do not!" Starscream said.

"Yes, I have. Metroplex refused to allow me to quarter within his walls, and I don't mind. I'm right here." Wheeljack keyed open a door just down the hallway from the lab and stepped in.

Starscream followed right on his heels. "'Jack, you were never this bad at academy. What in the world happened?"

Wheeljack shrugged. "I stopped having you for a lab partner, and with nobot to check me and keep me on track, I forget where I am and add double or triple doses of explosive material to stuff. It makes for great bangs, but it's not very safe. Also, I tend to put things in my subspace that don't belong there and they often mix together."

Starscream stared at him in astonishment, "You blow yourself up from your _subspace_?"

"Yes?" Wheeljack answered.

Starscream dropped his face into his hands. "What happened to you?"

Wheeljack patted him on the shoulder, "Starscream, it's fine. It's who I am. That's why I'm so reinforced."

Starscream pulled his face out of his hands and said, "Turn out your subspace."

"What?"

"You heard me. Right now." Starscream was firm.

Gawping at him, Wheeljack took a moment to recover, then began unloading his subspace onto the berth. A pair of pistols, ammunition for same, two test tubes that Starscream confiscated, a roll of the human invention called duct tape, various pliers and wrenches and clippers, rolls of wire of various diameters and resistances, electrical tape, a yellow boot…

"Oh, that's where Spike's boot was. I couldn't find it again." Wheeljack set it aside to return to Spike later, not realizing that the boot had been in his subspace for twenty-two years.

Once everything was out, Starscream took away anything that looked remotely dangerous and disappeared for a few moments while Wheeljack put almost everything else back into his subspace pockets.

The door chimed and Wheeljack opened it, allowing Starscream to come back in.

"Alright, now that that's all taken care of, here's some energon," Starscream thrust the cube into Wheeljack's hand, "and you need to get some recharge. I checked with Metroplex, and you've been up for nine days. Get some recharge."

Wheeljack laid his hand on Starscream's arm. "Thank you, Starscream."

"For what?" Starscream asked, puzzled.

"For caring," Wheeljack said sweetly, "and for making sure I get refueled and recharged." He dismissed his mask and drained the cube, then turned to his berth.

Starscream stared at him for a moment, then backed out of the room and let Wheeljack get his recharge.

The next morning, Starscream came along the corridor with more energon and stopped at Wheeljack's door. On impulse, he typed in the code Wheeljack had on his door at academy and was surprised when the door slid open.

Wheeljack was still deep in recharge, and Starscream set the cubes down on a small table, then drew up the stool Wheeljack had in one corner and watched Wheeljack recharge, his face furrowed in thought.

Wheeljack began stirring soon thereafter. Starscream, deciding to grab fate with both hands, got a cube of energon and went to the berth, climbing on top of Wheeljack and settling himself on his knees.

Wheeljack's optics popped open. When he saw who was straddling him, he smiled.

Huffing at the reaction, Starscream thrust the cube toward Wheeljack, who eased himself up so they were sitting face to face and took the cube, his mask sliding into his helm, sipping at it as he waited for Starscream to talk.

"So, you don't take care of yourself." Starscream began.

Wheeljack shrugged, "I wouldn't put it that way, exactly."

"How, exactly, would you put it?" Starscream demanded.

"I get caught up in what I'm doing and forget about things," Wheeljack answered promptly.

Starscream huffed again at him, "Set alarms."

"I ignore them," Wheeljack said, grinning at Starscream.

Starscream promptly poked him in the chest. "You didn't used to do that, ever. You were so conscientious it was ridiculous."

Wheeljack shrugged again, "Things change, Starscream."

Starscream regarded him for a long time. Wheeljack, used to Starscream, continued to sip at the energon until it was gone, then flattened the cube for recycling and allowed his mask to cover his face again.

Starscream poked at the mask, "You never used to wear this."

"I never used to blow myself up, either, but I do now and this protects my face. And my processor, by the way, and so I wear it." Wheeljack was matter-of-fact about his mask.

Starscream put his finger on the mask. "Get rid of it."

Wheeljack sent it back into his helm. "I need to wear it in the lab."

"Fine, but we're not in the lab, and if you're wearing it, I can't do this," Starscream leaned forward and kissed Wheeljack on the lips.

Wheeljack, for all his association with humans, had never tried this form of intimacy. He'd seen it, of course. Jazz and Blaster were masters of adaptation and had introduced their partners to many human customs and intimacies, but Wheeljack himself had never tried kissing.

Now he was glad he hadn't. The feel of Starscream's lips against his was nice, but nothing shattering, until Starscream tilted his head slightly and the friction and change in pressure caused Wheeljack to clutch Starscream to him, pulling him closer. That was nice, too, and put pressure along sensors in his abdomen that rarely felt such gentle touches. In fact, he had to turn up the gain on them to feel Starscream's hands sliding along his plating. Once he'd done so, it felt nice and he responded in kind.

Starscream was exquisitely responsive to touch, arching into Wheeljack's body as 'Jack's hands slid around his hips and up his back, then along his wings.

They explored each other's bodies, a desperation in Starscream's touch and a reverence in Wheeljack's, the feel of each other a salve to their spark. Wheeljack felt as if he was catapulted right back to the academy, where his fondest wish had been to hold Starscream like this. He explored everything, the join of the wings, the swell of the cockpit, the feel of the thrusters and the smoothness of Starscream's plating, reveling in the freedom to do so.

Starscream finally tore his mouth away from Wheeljack's to ask, "Do you have the modifications?"

"What modifications?" Wheeljack wanted to know.

Starscream touched his helm to Wheeljack's and rubbed his nose against 'Jack's affectionately. "The modifications for organic-type interfacing."

Wheeljack pulled back from Starscream and gasped, "You can _do_ that?"

"Right, you don't have the mods," Starscream answered his own question. "We'll have to schedule you for those, you won't believe how it feels."

Wheeljack simply nodded. Starscream renewed his touches along Wheeljack's body, his fingers sliding under the plating and rubbing along the sensors embedded under each piece. Wheeljack had the gain so high on the sensors that his processor was swamped with feeling every time Starscream caressed one, and all too soon, Wheeljack felt like he was going to explode.

Then Starscream buried his fingers in Wheeljack's back and _clenched_, and Wheeljack felt as if he was breaking, electricity racing through his body, breakers tripping to protect vital components and relays frying as they tried and failed to absorb the power of Wheeljack's overload.

Wheeljack came back to himself with his head against Starscream's cockpit and the smell of burned wire insulation wafting in the air. Woozily, he tried to lift his head and found that Starscream was curled over him, recovering from his own overload. Wheeljack just rested where he was, content to remain like this for the time being.

Eventually, Starscream stirred and Wheeljack was able to lift his head. They looked at each other for a long time, then Starscream leaned forward and kissed Wheeljack sweetly before lifting himself off the berth and allowing Wheeljack to get up.

Wheeljack felt himself overcome with a feeling of shyness and an inability to say anything. Starscream, looking at him, grinned wryly and put his hands on Wheeljack's shoulders.

"Don't fret about this. We should have done this at the academy, before I headed off to field camp with Skyfire."

"But, you came back and you were in love with him," Wheeljack protested.

"No, I wasn't. I was…enthralled with his understanding of xenobiology and with how well we got along, but by the time we left Cybertron, we both understood that we were colleagues and friends, but nothing more." Starscream explained.

Wheeljack absorbed this before asking, "Then why didn't you find me again?"

Starscream dropped his hands and paced away. "You were…Primus, 'Jack, you were so busy! You'd changed tracks while I was gone and you were doing all this engineering and mechanical stuff that I didn't understand, and you were happy with your new friends. I did come back, but you were so busy you didn't even notice me, so I thought leaving you happy was the best thing I could do, and that I'd look you up when Skyfire and I got back. Of course, he got lost and I came back frantic and was disgraced by the Academy's board of trustees and I didn't feel that I could come to you then. Megatron…Megatron offered me help to retrieve Skyfire, and by the time I realized he had lied to me, I was in too deep to get back out again."

"Oh, Starscream," Wheeljack said, his voice full of pity.

"Don't you pity me!" Starscream snarled, "I made my choices, or had them made for me, and I lived with the consequences. I didn't try to escape them, or blame somebot else for what I did."

"No, you'd never do that," murmured Wheeljack, "and I never believed you killed Skyfire, but I couldn't understand why you joined Megatron."

Starscream looked away, "In the beginning, he appreciated me, and I was in need of his appreciation and his approval. I could do no wrong, I was brilliant and he told me so every time I created something or came up with an idea or a battle plan. He changed, after the crash here, and I knew there was something wrong in his processor, but he didn't trust anybot to repair him."

"I guess his taking Unicron out, even if it meant he off-lined, was the best thing for him, then." Wheeljack said quietly.

Starscream gave a shrug of his own, more effective because of the wings, and replied, "I think, at that moment, he was sane again and knew what he was doing."

Wheeljack nodded and asked, "But, what about us?"

"I'd like to start again where we should have started all those vorns ago," Starscream said softly. "but I don't know if you're willing to do so."

"Yes," Wheeljack's immediate response seemed to gratify Starscream.

"Good. That's good." Starscream was nodding.

Wheeljack touched Starscream's shoulder, "Let's just take this at our own pace, alright?"

"Yes, that's a fine idea." Starscream said.

"Then we have work to do," Wheeljack told him, turning down the sensitivity of his sensors and letting his mask slide over his face, "let's get to it!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the lab, the engineers and scientists had gathered together to get the straight story from Skyfire. He explained the relationship between he and Starscream, and how, when he'd come out of the ice, Starscream had been the only mech he remembered and he'd clung to his once-friend.

"…but he reminded me that I needed to stand on my own and make my own decision, so I came to the Autobots. The Decepticons were not for me. I have been happy here, and I'm very glad the war is over and I can get back to science. Studying this world is fascinating and it's nice to have the time to do so. " Skyfire finished.

"So, you don't care if Starscream gets close to Wheeljack?" Hoist wanted to know.

"I would encourage it, in all truth. Starscream talked of nothing other than Wheeljack for the first half of the semester we were off-planet at field camp, and I expected them to get together once we were back, but Starscream decided that Wheeljack was happy without him and we left after our last semester without Starscream ever getting back with Wheeljack." Skyfire's voice was sad.

"Interesting," Perceptor said quietly.

"Indeed," Grapple agreed.

"We need to get them together again." Huffer proclaimed.

"So, we're all agreed on that point?" Skyfire said. He smiled at the agreement he got from everyone.

And thus began the conspiracy to throw Starscream and Wheeljack together again. It was, at first, little things, such as leaving tools behind in Wheeljack's lab and dragging Starscream along when the mech went to retrieve the tools, then striking up a conversation with Wheeljack that usually resulted in Starscream staying behind with Wheeljack. Or the getting together at the end of a long day's work and the only open spot for Wheeljack (who was physically dragged away from his work to join them) was next to Starscream.

The science and engineering team didn't realize that Wheeljack and Starscream needed very little pushing to spend time together, and Wheeljack simply accepted Starscream's more frequent visits as nothing unusual. Starscream, as always, was far more astute to the group dynamics, but gleefully went along with them in their plans.

He, in fact, had his own plans, and going along with them allowed him to further his plans far more quickly.

* * *

"So, what didn't you understand?" Wheeljack asked, puzzled.

Starscream vented in exasperation, "I simply can't see how this would work, 'Jack. Here, give me your data cable. This is ridiculous. We can communicate so much faster if we're connected to each other."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Wheeljack unspooled his data cable from the port in his shoulder and handed it to Starscream, who plugged it into his datajack. Wheeljack took Starscream's cord and plugged it into his own datajack, and they sat near each other, their systems synchronizing.

_::Ah, I see. You don't have that on the schematic, 'Jack.::_ Starscream pointed to the diagram on the datapad and notated the changes Wheeljack hadn't put down, but was carrying in his processor.

_::Whoops. Sorry about that.::_ Wheeljack's apology was shaded with his regret.

_::It's alright. But now that we're connected, may I show you something?::_ Something of Starscream's intent leaked through the connection, because Wheeljack gave him a wary look before assenting.

_::Excellent.::_ Starscream purred.

He began to send images over the connection. Images of Wheeljack, sprawled on a berth studying, then of him busy in his classes, then the images stopped having the crispness of real captures and began to have the fuzzier quality of fantasies.

Wheeljack, under Starscream, writhing as Starscream used the tentacles from one planet he and Skyfire had explored, Starscream burying them under Wheeljack's plating to stroke his protoform and bring him to overload after overload, until Wheeljack slipped into recharge and Starscream let him, only to wake him the next cycle for another round of interfacing.

Wheeljack, adapted to a watery world, his legs one solid piece, a slit between them that Starscream fit into, their bodies stroking against each other until pleasure wracked them.

Wheeljack at the helm of a ship, talking and Starscream's deep wish to have him there colored the entire sequence.

Wheeljack, thrusting into Starscream like the organics of this world, Starscream clinging to him, desperation coloring this fantasy.

Starscream, talking to himself, Wheeljack's voice in the background, helping him think through a situation, loneliness threading through this simple fantasy and coloring it so deeply it pained.

Starscream, wrapped around Wheeljack and Wheeljack wrapped around him in a hundred different configurations, their bodies touching, touching everywhere and over it all, Wheeljack's voice, his enthusiasm, shot through everything.

Wheeljack had been aroused by the first images, but the last few made his spark ache and the final one pushed him to pull Starscream into a hug.

_::I've got you, Starscream. I've got you and I'm never letting you go. I've got you.::_ Wheeljack kept sending that thought through the connection, holding Starscream and rocking slightly, letting the other mech _feel_ the motion, the solidness of his body, the _thereness_ of himself.

Starscream shook in his arms for a while, gasps coming from his vocalizer, and then…

He pushed his fantasies through the connection. Millions of them, he and Wheeljack, always together, and the sensations overwhelmed Wheeljack and thrust him into a sudden, sharp overload that pulled Starscream along with him.

When he'd recovered, Wheeljack opened his optics and looked around. Other than the fact they were hugging, it didn't seem that they'd moved during their intense exchange.

"What do you think they're discussing?" Huffer asked, looking through the clear wall at Wheeljack and Starscream.

Grapple looked up and shrugged, "Probably that new geothermal energy collector Wheeljack's been going on about."

"Huh. Well, to each his own," Huffer concluded, bending back over the schematics Grapple had been showing him.

* * *

Wheeljack was prodded by Starscream to go visit Ratchet, and he finally did so after Starscream lost his patience and began sniping at Wheeljack during a discussion among the science group at the end of a shift.

"So, if we push this wall out a little bit, we can accommodate the wider base we need for stability." Wheeljack said.

"Oh, of course, we have to accommodate," Starscream grumped.

Wheeljack looked up from his plans momentarily and looked at Starscream, then went back to the plans in front of him. Grapple and Huffer, the mechs Wheeljack was with, looked at each other, then at Starscream, before returning their attention to Wheeljack and the diagrams.

"As I was saying, the wider base will give us the stability we need, so let's modify the architectural blueprints to bump that wall out." Wheeljack continued.

"Because, of course, stability must be considered," Starscream sniped.

Wheeljack didn't even pause this time, continuing his thoughts until he was done. He left the schematics with Grapple and Huffer and got up from his seat, grabbing Starscream's wing tip as he passed by and pulling the other mech in his wake.

"Should we help him?" Grapple asked, peering after them.

"Help who? " Huffer wanted to know, looking after the pair.

"Good point," Grapple said, returning his attention to the sheets in front of him.

Meanwhile, Wheeljack was pulling Starscream along until they got to his room, where he opened the door and walked in, leaving Starscream out in the hall. That didn't last long, because Starscream stalked in after him.

"What was that all about, Wheeljack?" Starscream yelled.

Wheeljack turned and faced him, his optical ridges indicating his displeasure. "You were being rude. What is your problem?"

Starscream huffed, "So it's alright to mech-handle someone because they're being rude? How dare you?"

Wheeljack pinched the top of his nose. "You're right, I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. But I repeat, what is your problem?"

Starscream muttered something inaudible. Wheeljack glared at him.

"Fine! I'd like to know when you're going to go see Ratchet about modifications." Starscream snapped out.

"You're bitching over not getting any?" Wheeljack exclaimed, "What about the connecting we've been doing, the touching and all that?"

Starscream tipped his head back and looked at the ceiling. "'Jack, you have no idea." He brought his head down and looked at Wheeljack. "Look, it's wonderful, but it requires attention. I have to focus on giving you memories and honestly, the push and pull of data, as wonderful as it is and as much as I'm enjoying learning how you think and feel, the organic style of interfacing is…well, it's all feeling. It bypasses all the higher processor functions and works off some very basic programming, and I MISS it, 'Jack. I like not thinking during interfacing, but feeling, and I love how well I recharge after that kind of interfacing and how clear my processor is the next morning. I'm getting all scrambled up inside, and I want to share this with you, both for selfish reasons and for unselfish reasons." Starscream stumbled to a halt, half-turned away from Wheeljack.

Wheeljack, for his part, thought about what Starscream said, then walked past him toward the door. "Would you like to come with me to talk to Ratchet?"

Starscream jerked around and looked at Wheeljack, who was standing by the door without his mask, a smile on his face and his hand extended toward Starscream, waiting.

"Yes, I would," Starscream told him, clasping his hand as they walked out the door together.

The modifications were available, and Ratchet didn't say anything untoward about Wheeljack's request. He merely asked Starscream what his modifications were and went from there.

Starscream had both a rod and a port, making him hermaphroditic. Ratchet explained to Wheeljack that he could have either a rod or a port, or both, which is what most mechs opted for. The procedure to add the equipment was, however, complex no matter what Wheeljack chose. Not only did the equipment need to be install, but other systems, such as holding tanks for the fluids, had to be installed and programming had to be written and integrated into the mech's processor.

"I still want to do it," Wheeljack said firmly.

"Fine, fine, we'll get you scheduled. I'll send you a message tomorrow. You'll be in the medbay for a couple of days while we test the systems, run the programs, make sure everything works," Ratchet told him.

"Alright," Wheeljack agreed.

So, Wheeljack found himself in the medbay two days later, his schedule cleared for the next four days. Starscream walked with him to the medbay and left him when Ratchet pointed to the doors.

"Alright, 'Jack, I have to ask you this question," Ratchet said, "are you being coerced into this procedure in any way?"

"No, I am not," Wheeljack replied.

"Then let's get started." Ratchet led him to the surgical unit, where he was scrubbed down, then laid out on a table and worked on by Ratchet and Hoist.

As an engineer, Wheeljack found this fascinating. He'd helped design some of the systems, but he hadn't know what they were for and he hadn't asked, either. A lubricant tank was installed at the base of the abdomen and hooked into the systems of the port and rod. The port was a polyfabric sheath, capable of expanding quite a bit, and was set in a tube-shaped container that was made of interlocking plates that allowed it to expand or contract. The container's walls were studded with sensor nodes in a configuration that seemed random but had a complex mathematical equation behind it. Small tubes were attached from a larger tube that looped over the top of the container and brought the lubricant from the storage tank. The lubricant would be released when certain programming parameters were met and would seep through the polyfabric to ease the entry of a rod inserted into the port.

The rod was another engineering marvel. It was created from carefully milled rings that, when pulled, would expand upward and smoothing fit into each other, creating a spike that gradually got smaller the further out it expanded. It was lined internally with its own sensors, and the same polyfabric was used to line the rod and be the 'balloon' that expanded the rod. The lubricant tubes were attached to the polyfabric so they would be properly placed, but they all spiraled to the tip where they would release, again dependent upon programming parameters being met.

The physical changes were the easiest. The programming that was patched in was far more difficult, and Wheeljack had to work with Hoist on the code. He was used to tinkering in his own systems, but having never experienced this modification, Wheeljack needed Hoist's support to get the code properly debugged and compiled.

Then came an entire day of testing, and by the end, when he was given the all-clear, Wheeljack was exhausted and wanted nothing more than a long recharge cycle.

Fortunately for him, Starscream seemed aware of his need for recharge and did not come to visit him.

The next morning, though, was a completely different matter.

When he came out of recharge, Wheeljack could _feel_ the warmth of another mech across his lower abdomen. His new systems could feel that heat, too, and pinged him with that knowledge.

Venting out air, Wheeljack opened his optics and peered up at Starscream, who smiled down at him.

"Eager, aren't you?" Wheeljack muttered.

"Yes," Starscream agreed, "and you'll soon see why." He bent down and waited.

Wheeljack uncovered his face and received a sweet kiss from Starscream. This was nice, he enjoyed it, and he reached up to caress Starscream as they kissed.

Starscream leaned down further until he was lying on top of Wheeljack. That was nice, and Wheeljack took advantage, beginning to glide his fingers along the join of Starscream's wings. He also turned up the sensitivity of his sensor grid so he could feel the touches Starscream was dispensing so freely.

Then Starscream did _something_ with his hips, and suddenly Wheeljack was clutching him closer, trying somehow to get more of that sensation. Starscream chuckled, low and vibrant, and wriggled his hips again.

That was even better. Wheeljack kept getting pings on his HUD and couldn't be bothered to read them, instead dismissing the notifications as they came up, continuing to do what felt good instead.

Starscream, however, had other ideas. He sat up and opened his data port, unspooling his cable and waiting until he had Wheeljack's attention.

Wheeljack frowned up at him, and Starscream waggled the cord slightly. "Let me in, 'Jack, or we'll never get this done."

Wheeljack uncovered his data port and unspooled his own cable. They plugged into each other and Starscream leaned over Wheeljack again.

This time, when the notifications came up, Starscream stopped and showed Wheeljack how to answer each of the prompts. Soon, Wheeljack was no longer bothered by notices and was instead devoting his attention to bringing Starscream as much pleasure as he could. His new equipment was giving him problems, his rod pressing against the cover that protected it from the outside world, and Starscream gave a low chuckle as he dropped his hips and ground against that cover.

It slid aside, and Wheeljack's rod extended rapidly, seemingly happy to be free of confinement. Starscream moved his hips back slightly and reached down, stroking the rod with his hand.

Wheeljack bucked into the touch, the sensations overwhelming his processor with multiple streams of data. Starscream laughed again, delight dancing through as he continued to move down Wheeljack's body.

The feel of Starscream's mouth and glossa on the rod caused Wheeljack to shout and sit up, curling over Starscream and clutching at his wings. Starscream took one hand and pressed it against the port under/behind the rod's base, and that felt wonderful, too. Wheeljack had no idea how to respond.

_::You'll get there.::_ Starscream sent over the cables still connecting them. _::Right now, though, let me take care of you.::_

Wheeljack nodded frantically, unable to vocalize his agreement.

Starscream spent some time exploring Wheeljack's new equipment, but not much, for he wanted to move on. He removed his mouth and fingers and reared up, pushing firmly on Wheeljack's shoulders until the engineer went flat on the berth. Starscream straddled his hips and brought their groins together, something shifting between his legs. He raised himself slightly, positioning himself over Wheeljack's rod, then began to lower himself over Wheeljack.

Warmth and wetness enveloped Wheeljack's rod, and that felt _amazing_. Wheeljack tentatively thrust up into the warmth, and that felt even better. Once Starscream was completely seated on Wheeljack, he held there for a few moments, letting Wheeljack absorb the feel of his port encasing Wheeljack's rod. Then he pulled himself up the rod, and Wheeljack reflexively clutched at him to pull him back down. Starscream was grinning as he caught Wheeljack's hands and pressed them down into the berth with his own before continuing to slide up Wheeljack's rod. Then he pressed back down, and the friction caused all the sensors studding Wheeljack's rod to begin sending their data streams to his processor.

Wheeljack's higher functions shut down to allow him to attempt to process all the data. All too soon, he was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of data and he was simply reacting to the stimuli of every motion Starscream made.

Then Wheeljack felt pressure somewhere. It made sense later on, but at the moment, he was completely caught up in what was going on _right now_. Starscream pushed down, did a little twist with his hips, and Wheeljack was caught in a maelstrom of feeling, his rod pushing deep into Starscream's port as the pressure burst through his rod and into Starscream.

Panting in an attempt to get cool air into his systems, Wheeljack fell back on the berth, pulling Starscream with him. He acknowledged the prompts that suggested recharge and began sliding into deep rest. The last thing he felt was a deep satisfaction emanating from Starscream over the data lines still connecting them.

When he came out of recharge much later, he felt better than he had in years. His processor had done a deep defragmentation and his processing was significantly faster. His caches had been cleared out and the files saved. His body was incredibly relaxed as all the minor tensions had been eased from his cables, which in turn allowed the wires and fuel lines threaded around those cable to relax. He lay there, basking in the feeling of feeling good.

A trickle of amusement touched him, and he turned his head to smile at Starscream, who was smiling back from his position still atop Wheeljack.

"Thank you," Wheeljack whispered, kissing Starscream.

"You're welcome, and thank you." Starscream whispered back.

They began untangling themselves from each other, respooling cables and tucking parts away until they were presentable for public again. Wheeljack pulled a couple of cubes of energon from the small dispenser in his room and they refueled before heading to the lab.

Wheeljack couldn't help himself, holding onto Starscream's hand as they entered, already talking about their latest project and how he'd figured out a more efficient way of routing the energy to minimize the waste.

Starscream gave a small wave to the group huddled around a table in the central room as he was pulled through the room by Wheeljack.

Once they'd entered their lab, the door closed, both Wheeljack and Starscream dove into their work with enthusiasm.

Behind them, in the main room, the group stared after them. Finally Perceptor asked, "Does this mean that we don't need to concentrate on getting them together?"

"I think so, yes," Grapple responded.

"Good, that means we can get back to work and not have the distraction," Perceptor said, "I hope they can be happy together."

And they were.

The end!


End file.
